–Day: Moving Forward (V1-7)

Make sure that you start your study time today by quieting your heart before the Lord in prayer.

Read Acts 21:1-7

Digging Deeper:

(V1-2) Paul had poured everything that he had learned about and the into the leaders in , and they loved him for investing so much into them. This wasn’t an easy group for Paul to leave, but he knew that the Lord was calling him to continue to move forward, so he kept sailing towards his destination.

(V3-4) When they got to Tyre, they found some disciples of Jesus there. We’re not sure how this church was planted, but some of these disciples had a gift of prophesy. They prophesied that there was danger that awaited Paul in . He had heard this before, and was even warned before not to go to

1 Jerusalem because he was going to be severely persecuted.

(V-5) The of Tyre pleaded with Paul and his team to not go to Jerusalem, but they could not turn them away from going there. Paul was certain that it was God’s will that they go, so they continued to head that way. In those days, it was custom to walk your family or loved ones to the shore as they left to set sail, but kneeling down and praying on the shore together was evidence that these people were more than friends or relatives, these were brothers and sisters in who believed in the power of prayer!

(V6-7) Their traveling was done for now. Paul’s custom was to greet the believers in the city right when he arrived. It was in those times of greeting he would get an update as to the health of the local church and find out how he could teach, strengthen, and encourage the believers in that city. When he got to Ptolemais, he stayed with the believers for one day.

2 Application Questions:

1.) Some of the believers in Tyre had the gift of prophesy. They spoke to Paul about what was to come, and encouraged him to avoid going to Jerusalem. He didn’t listen, but he was aware that something was going to happen in Jerusalem.

A.) Has there ever been a time in your life where you’ve felt like God had someone speak a word of prophesy to you? Explain. ______

B.) Why is prophesy such an important spiritual gift God has given to the church? ______

2.) Paul was persistent in his pursuit of Jerusalem, but made time to greet and speak with the brethren in each place that he stopped.

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A.) Has there ever been a time in your life where you’ve felt called to do something different for a job, or move to a different city? Explain. ______

B.) Paul loved the relationships in the church. Why are relationships in the church so important? Explain. ______

Prayer for the day:

Father, I thank you for this day, and I thank you for the people that you’ve blessed me with in my life. I pray that I could make a positive impact in their lives today, and I pray that you will continue to encourage me so that I can encourage others! Amen

4 Acts 21–Day 2: Paul makes his way to Jerusalem (V8-17)

Make sure that you start your study time today with a prayer asking God to speak to your heart today!

Read Acts 21:8-17

Digging Deeper:

Paul and company are headed south. Their ship has landed for a week, and then sailed down to Ptolemais. After a one-night stopover they are on the road again.

They have arrived (V8-9) in Caesarea, at the home of Philip. We know Philip () as one of the seven men chosen to minister to the daily needs of the fledgling and rapidly growing church in Jerusalem, and of his missionary journeys () into Samaria, down to Gaza with the , and up along the coast to Caesarea. It was the heavy persecution of the church and the martyrdom of Stephen, with Saul consenting from the sidelines, which sent believers scattering and inspired Philip to evangelize Samaria. Now it is “Philip the

5 evangelist” we read of, and even more to the credit of the legacy of his faith, we see that he has raised four virgin daughters given the gift of prophecy.

As they remain there with Philip for many days (V10-11) , a prophet from Jerusalem who came to many years earlier to accurately foretell a coming famine (:28), comes down to Caesarea with a clear visual warning for Paul. Taking Paul’s belt, Agabus somehow tied up his own hands and feet, and declared that this same thing would be Paul’s fate in Jerusalem, to be done by his own beloved Jews as they handed him over to the Gentiles.

Of course, this did not sit well with Dr. Luke, who recorded these events (V12-14), or with the believers who heard the prophecy, so they begged Paul not to go. It is a heartbreaking moment for Paul, a battle between his loving Christian family and the leading of the Holy Spirit for his life. Faithful to whatever God has for him, Paul reminds them in tears and agony that he is ready to give his life for the name of the Lord of his life, Jesus Christ. Paul’s conviction brings understanding and surrender

6 as they all agreed, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”

Paul’s traveling group grows in number (V15-17) as some from Caesarea including , who apparently has a home in Jerusalem and has invited them to stay with him, have joined them to go up. They arrive in Jerusalem, not to an angry mob, but to a believing family that greets them with gladness.

Application Questions:

1.) Paul has traveling companions who have stayed with him since he left Macedonia. They haven’t bailed out on him, even though they know the kinds of troubles Paul has seen. In fact, they probably knew of Paul’s reasons for backtracking through Macedonia instead of sailing home from Achaia, with the threats on his life. (:3)

A.) Do you consider it important to have brothers with you who will stay with you through thick and thin on your journey? Can you name your traveling companions? ______

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B.) Are you open to the idea of adding more trusted traveling companions to your group? Where will you find them?? ______

2.) Philip started out as one of the seven. He was led to evangelize not only to , but also through an Ethiopian eunuch to Africa, and straight up through historically Philistine country. Now he has taken in the same man who consented to the killing of Stephen in Caesarea and his faith has spread to his household and to his four spirit-filled daughters.

A.) Are you able to look back over the time you have been walking with the Lord and see clearly how He has changed you and used you for His glory? What has changed? ______

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B.) Are you satisfied with the changes you have seen? What is the Lord speaking to you about change, that you can begin to do right now? ______

3.) Paul described the conflict between the hearts of his brothers and the leading of the Holy Spirit as heartbreaking.

A.) Have you experienced a “tough love” moment like this? In what ways did that moment glorify God before others? ______

9 Prayer for the day:

Heavenly Father, in these last days I want to finish well. Would you fill me with a greater urgency to lift your name up before others, to choose You Lord when those around me whom I love and want to protect are asking me to choose an easier path. Father would You fill me again with Your Holy Spirit and guide me throughout my days. Amen

10 Acts 21–Day 3: Take a Vow(V18-26)

Make sure that you start your study time today by quieting your heart before the Lord in prayer.

Read Acts 21:18-26

Digging Deeper:

(V18-19) James was the brother of Jesus and was the leader of the church in Jerusalem at that time, so Paul went in to meet with him and all of the elders of the church. Paul reported on all of the wonderful works that were taking place throughout the different regions, and was especially excited about how many Gentile (Non- Jewish) people were converting to .

(V20-22) James and the Elders of Jerusalem were happy about all that God was doing in the Gentile communities, but in Jerusalem most of the Christians were Jewish. They still valued Jewish laws and customs even though they had become Christians, and they were still zealous for the law, meaning that they were devoted to the customs they had learned growing up. The

11 Christians in Jerusalem had heard false rumors about Paul. That he was anti-Jewish, and against Jews practicing their cultural ways. The wisdom of the elders told them that what was being said about Paul was controversial and so they decided to address the rumors of it before the people.

(V23-24) The elders told Paul to join with the other men who had taken A Nazarite vow. The purpose of taking this was to become pure and holy before God for a set amount of time. The custom of taking the vow consisted of shaving your head, and then not cutting the locks of your hair, staying away from wine, and not coming into contact with any corpses. By taking a Nazarite vow, Paul would be demonstrating to the Jewish people that He was still sensitive to their culture, and that He wasn’t against them.

(V25-26) Paul Agreed with the recommendation that James and the elders had made, and he joined some Christians in taking the vow. Paul didn’t provide an animal sacrifice for sin here. He understood that the only sacrifice that would atone for his sins was that of Jesus Christ on the cross. Paul saw this as an opportunity to build a bridge for the gospel into the Jewish community.

12 Application Questions:

1.) The Christians in Jerusalem had heard some false rumors about Paul, and many had assumed that they were true. These false rumors would hinder the witness of Paul and the work of the Gospel if they continued to spread without being addressed.

A.) Have you ever assumed something about someone based off of what you have heard about them? Be honest! Why is it dangerous to assume? ______

B.) What do the following verses speak to you about assuming?

1 Corinthians 13:6 - ______

Proverbs 25:8 - ______

13 Proverbs 18:2 - ______

1.) Paul agreed to take a vow as the counsel had suggested so that the Jewish people could see that he was for them, not against them. He laid down his rights to help other people know God better. ______

A.) Have you ever had to go out of your way to serve someone so that they understand that you love them and are for them? What was the outcome? ______

B.) What do the following verses speak to you about sacrificial love?

John 15:13 - ______

14 1 John 3:16 - ______

Romans 5:8 - ______

Prayer for the day:

Father, I ask you to search my heart today and show me if there are any repetitious religious ways in my life that are holding me back from walking with you. I thank you for the freedom that I have in Christ, and I pray today for those who are caught up in repetitious religion. Would you free them from the religious customs that are holding them back from you, and would you help me to help them in any way that you see fit. Please bless this day. Amen

15 Acts 21–Day 4: Paul is taken in the Temple (V27-32)

As you sit down to read what God has for you in these passages, take a moment to ask Him to meet you here and to open your eyes to the freshness of His word.

Read Acts 21:8-17

Digging Deeper:

It seems like there is hardly a dull moment for the apostle Paul. The day after he arrives in Jerusalem from roughly a five-year journey, he is told by James and the church elders to put himself and four other men through a ritual of purification. Obedient to the task, for the reputation of himself and more likely for the reputation of the church, Paul begins the process the very next day.

Paul is covering the costs; getting their heads shaved, and providing for a sacrificial animal at the temple. Now in (V27) he is in the temple with the four, worshiping, waiting upon the Lord, and making it known that they are nearing the end of

16 the seven days of purification, when the sacrifice will be offered.

It is not clear why the Jews from didn’t recognize Paul till that moment. Maybe it was the shaved head as he had done years earlier in Cenchrea before going into Ephesus, toward the end of his second missionary journey (:18). But when these Jews did recognize him things got out of control quickly. There in the temple they cried out for help (V28), stirring up the crowd into a frenzy, and they grabbed Paul.

Then came the false accusations (V28-29), claims that Paul was teaching against the Jewish people, against their Mosaic law, and even against the temple itself. And in a case of mistaken identity they claimed that at least one of the men whom Paul brought into the temple for purification was a Greek.

It was defamation on a citywide scale, the very thing that James and the elders sought to avoid. “…All the city was disturbed,” we read in (V30). In their minds, no doubt it was a massive desecration of the temple, so they dragged Paul out and shut the doors behind him, with every intention of killing him. So, when the commander of the Roman garrison heard about the angry

17 mob he immediately responded with lots of soldiers (V31-32). We don’t know how many, but centurions who each command 100 soldiers sprang into action, running “down” to where Paul was being beaten to death, and put a stop to it all.

Application questions:

1.) Now in Jerusalem, Paul needs to be clear in his intent as a Jewish man toward the law, the people, and the temple. He wants to be obedient to James and the church, and he wants to protect the reputation of the church.

A.) How do the passages from Philippians 4:11-13 apply to Paul as he responds to the instructions from James and the elders? ______

B.) Can you relate to Paul’s situation personally, on some level? Has the Lord led you with strong conviction to minister in some way that might not necessarily appear to be to your

18 own best benefit, but the work brought glory to Him? How did that work out? Did you see His hand working through it all? ______

2.) Paul was wrongly accused in many ways, in order to stir up the crowd against him.

A.) Being completely honest with yourself, how do you respond when you are criticized for your faith or for your choices as a believer? ______

B.) We haven’t read in these studies of Acts 21 how Paul responded to the attacks against him. How do we become more prepared with an answer that is filled with the grace of God? Will you pray about that? ______

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Prayer for the day:

Heavenly Father, in these last days we know that the attacks will be many against Your name and against the body of Christ. I want to be prepared for those attacks with an answer that is filled with Your Grace Lord, and with Your lovingkindness. Would you do that work in me again today? Would You fill me Lord to overflowing with Your heart for all men? You sent Your one and only Son to die for the sins of the world, including those who hung Him on the cross. Would You do a work in me that will continue to transform my heart into the heart of Jesus? Amen

20 Acts 21–Day 5: “Away with Him.” (V33-40)

Start today’s time in the book of Acts with a short time of prayer readying your heart for what God wants to speak to you. “Prayer may just be the most powerful tool mankind has.” - Ted Dekker

Read Acts 21:33-40

Digging Deeper:

(V33-34) The crowd was getting bigger, and the Commander knew that he needed to do something about this potential uproar. So, he had Paul taken captive, and bound with chains like a prisoner. He then inquired as to who Paul was, and what had he done to get the people so outraged. Before Paul could speak up for himself, the crowd began to interject their opinion as to who he was and what he had done. This became confusing, and so the commander had him taken into the barracks. (The Jail)

(V35-36) The violence became so intense that Paul had to be carried by the guards for his own protection. The angry mob continued to cry out

21 that Paul should be taken away out of their sight and even harmed. The term “take him away” didn’t mean to jail, it meant to remove him from the earth, in other words, they wanted him dead! This is the same thing that was shouted about Jesus when He was on His way to the cross (Luke 23:18)

(V37-38) Just before Paul reached the Jail he asked to speak to the commander, and the commander asked him if he spoke Greek. Paul’s knowledge of Greek would indicate to the commander that he was well educated. The officer had confused Paul with another man, a rebel from Egypt who stirred up many problems for them in Israel leading a rebellion of 4000 men into the wilderness of Israel. The Word “assassins” here refers to a violent anti-roman Jewish revolutionary group in that day.

(V39-40) Paul sets the record straight sharing with the commander that he is a Jew from Tarsus, not a radical anti-roman activist. Paul calls his home city Tarsus “no unimportant city” to emphasize that his hometown was known for its culture, and its class. So, Paul asks the commander if he can speak to the crowd of people, and the commander gave him permission. Paul addresses the group of Jews in their native language showing that he himself is a Jew and he respects their culture.

22 Application Questions:

1.) Paul ended up in chains and under the authority of Roman guards. From the outside, this might seem like Paul was in the most dangerous situation, but the Roman guards actually became a blessing for him as they protected him from the angry mob. What the enemy intended to use to hurt Paul, God used for his protection!

A.) Read Joseph’s Words to His brothers in Genesis 50:20. What does Joseph’s statement speak to you about the things that are hard for you in this life? ______

B.) Why is it important to be patient in trials? See James 1:2-4? ______

23 C.) Is there a trial/or trials in your life that you need to apply more patience too? Explain. ______

2.) Paul was a smart man who was led by the Holy Spirit. It seems that he often knew how to diffuse a situation, but he never backed down from an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with whoever would listen.

A.) How does Paul inspire you to be wise about your surroundings in every situation in life? Explain. ______

B.) How does Paul inspire you to use your current situations to share the love of Jesus with others? Explain. ______

24 C.) Read Philippians 1:21 – In your own words, explain Paul’s philosophy on life. Do you agree or disagree? Explain. ______

Prayer for the day:

Father, I thank you that you that use everything in my life to draw me closer to you. I pray that today you would help me to see my situation as a blessing from you in that it is an opportunity to watch you work out things in my life for your glory. Keep me close today, and help me to fix my eyes on you! Amen

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